Asthmatics Anonymous, Because I'm really fed up :P Options

[FluteDiva!!]

The title says it all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I thought it would be nice to have a place where we can offer eachother support and share stories. I'm currently at the end of my tether - I've had 2 attacks in 3 weeks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) The first one was horrible but not too serious, but the second one landed me in hospital for 4 days and I had to have intravenous medication which was awful! Now I'm back at home I was feeling a lot better but now I'm feeling rough again - nothing terrible but it's really frustrating! I just want to got out with my friends etc but I'm struggling walking around really! Rant over (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Over to you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Solari]

I used to get horrible attacks when I was younger, but fortunately seem to have fought it all off over the years. I might get slightly out of breath if I go too mad exerting myself but I can understand exactly how you feel... I had one particularly scary episode back at school years ago and was turning blue (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Good luck getting it under control! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FluteDiva!!]

Thank you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow so fingers crossed we'll get it sorted! It's normally fairly well controlled but at the moment it's very difficult! Hopefully I'll grow out of it one day...but I'm not holding my breath (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) You're right about it being scary - I've not had many attacks like the last one!

[Solari]

Thank you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow so fingers crossed we'll get it sorted! It's normally fairly well controlled but at the moment it's very difficult! Hopefully I'll grow out of it one day...but I'm not holding my breath (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) You're right about it being scary - I've not had many attacks like the last one!

I'm not sure if it's an old wives' tale but the cycle for it going is supposed to be every 7 years or something, isn't it?

It's really not funny when your windpipe closes up completely and you can't breathe at all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) The fact that it tends to induce a panic attack simultaneously is horrible.

I tried some tablets called singulair for my out-of-breathness which seemed OK but I don't need them anymore, I can deal with it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Good luck tomorrow! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[ellie_the_little_elephant]

I'm not sure if it's an old wives' tale but the cycle for it going is supposed to be every 7 years or something, isn't it?

It's really not funny when your windpipe closes up completely and you can't breathe at all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) The fact that it tends to induce a panic attack simultaneously is horrible.

I tried some tablets called singulair for my out-of-breathness which seemed OK but I don't need them anymore, I can deal with it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Good luck tomorrow! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Same here (singulair) - they made a huge difference for me though. That said, I take two different inhalers and these tablets, and sometimes it gets really annoying that I have to pay about ?20 every month or so just so that I can breathe! I did once work out that it's 5p cheaper (or 6p, or 3p or whatever) for me to pay separately for my prescriptions instead of getting the 3-month or 12-month scheme. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) I tend to be okay as long as I don't visit my in-laws, whose cats can put me at the "you need to go to A&E" stage in under 3 hours! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I think that my husband finds my asthma attacks more frightening than I do, as I tend to be quite blas? about the fact that one word takes the amount of breathing-effort that would normally be used for a really long phrase on the flute.

Good luck at the consultant, FluteDiva!

[Solari]

Same here (singulair) - they made a huge difference for me though.

I got told that they either work fantastically, or they don't, so I wonder if I just had a placebo effect as I can't say I was bothered coming off them... *shrug*

[FluteDiva!!]

Thanks for your replies (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Yes, I already take singulair tablets alongside seretide 500, which is the max dose so maybe I need to change drugs? I'll be interested to see as my peak flow is dropping again! I'm still wheezing but not as badly as earlier so hopefully I'll get some sleep. I agree that having bad asthma is awful and really not funny - on the way to A+E I'd got to the stage where I couldn't speak more than 2 words and was pulling in the skin between my ribs, which was really frightening.

[lizbun]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif) I don't have asthma but it must be awful

[Flossie]

Thanks for your replies (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Yes, I already take singulair tablets alongside seretide 500, which is the max dose so maybe I need to change drugs? I'll be interested to see as my peak flow is dropping again! I'm still wheezing but not as badly as earlier so hopefully I'll get some sleep. I agree that having bad asthma is awful and really not funny - on the way to A+E I'd got to the stage where I couldn't speak more than 2 words and was pulling in the skin between my ribs, which was really frightening.

Do you use a volumatic/spacer with your seretide? If not it's maybe worth asking about this as it's supposed to increase the amount of the inhaler that ends up in your lungs. I have one and it does seem to make a difference. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Juniper]

sometimes it gets really annoying that I have to pay about ?20 every month or so just so that I can breathe!
[/quote]

I know my other half gets asthma quite badly and every time we go to Gibraltar to visit his sister we stock up on blue and brown inhalers! £3 each, quite a differsnce (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Hope you feel better soon FluteDiva! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif)

[ellie_the_little_elephant]

Same here (singulair) - they made a huge difference for me though.

I got told that they either work fantastically, or they don't, so I wonder if I just had a placebo effect as I can't say I was bothered coming off them... *shrug*

They've definitely helped me. I have always been quite sniffly/sneezy, and have tried various (prescription) medications in an attempt to sort this out. It has a proper medical name that translates to "permanent hayfever" I think. Nothing worked to correct the sniffles before I tried the Singulair, so I must be in the lucky x% for whom they work! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (Makes a change... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) )

[bobziekins]

Awwww, it must be horrible! Poor old you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif) hope it gets better soon.

The doctors used to think I was asthmatic, because I used to wheeze A LOT. Then they found out that I just had mahoosive "kissing" tonsils, and it was just lots and lots of tonsilitus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Solari]

Awwww, it must be horrible! Poor old you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif) hope it gets better soon.

The doctors used to think I was asthmatic, because I used to wheeze A LOT. Then they found out that I just had mahoosive "kissing" tonsils, and it was just lots and lots of tonsilitus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I have had tonsilitis so many times (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I have pleaded with my doctor to have the flippin' things ripped out but they won't agree to it. I have hayfever also which doesn't help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[lottie]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Aw I'm sorry you're suffering - feel better soon.

If it's a grain of hope my husband has asthma and when I first met him he couldn't be in the same room as a cat or dog.. or even if they had left the room. He would wheeze a lot during the night too.

Now he lives with six dogs (and me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ), although they're not allowed in the bedroom, and the only time he gets wheezy is if he has a cold.

He does a lot of mountaineering which I'm convinced has helped to strengthen his lungs and also we live in the country where there are no car-fumes and the air is very clean.

He does take singulair and uses a blue inhaler but I'm not sure how often.

I also have a vacuum with a hospital grade filter but I don't use it every day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

The one thing that is guaranteed to set him off though is cigarette smoke so the smoking ban in public places is the best thing ever!!

[FluteDiva!!]

Thanks everyone for your replies - I do appreciate it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm feeling much happier today as I finally feel I'm getting somewhere (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif) I saw my lovely consultant, who was super sympathetic and had a good listen to my chest. He said he could hear a "blatant asthma wheeze" all over, but that he could also hear pockets of infection which made a crackly sound. I;ve now got antibiotics to clear it up and that should hopefully improve my asthma control, alongside taking my oral steroids. He isn't going to change my inhalers or singulair unless I'm still struggling later on - which is good I think; I don;t want to take anything else!
Flossie - they don't make my strength of seretide in an aerosol inhaler, so I can't take it through a spacer, but I am currently taking ventolin through it, though I don't normally use a spacer. I'm definitely less wheezy than yesterday now, which is a big improvement, but I'm still having 10 puffs ventolin every few hours so that needs to be reduced - I've got the shakes! My friends were so lovely today - two car loads of them turned up at my house this afternoon with fake flowers (which I think is hilarious - real ones make me chesty) and brought me what seems like everyone's magazine collection for the past 5 years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I'm trying to be as active as I can, but still feel really tired, but I WILL NOT stay in bed as I've got less than a week left of my summer holiday (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
Lottie - I am lucky in that I live right out in the country, so there are few cars etc and definitely notice that, for example, when I went to London recently, I feel much much worse - almost smothered. I do wheeze in the night a bit, but it's mostly a really dry cough especially in the very very early morning. Anyway, I'll keep you posted on my future improvements (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fingersCrossed.gif)
Camille